Singapore’s Feel-Good Food Truck

On a recent evening in Singapore, a crowd gathered to snap photos of an unusual sight on Dhoby Ghaut Green. It might have been a celebrity, but instead, it was a different kind of star: a brown food truck nicknamed Kerby, one of two new mobile eateries that navigate the island. (The first, Travelling C.O.W., short for Chef on Wheels, launched last December.)

At first, Kerbside Gourmet appears to be, like many trendy food trucks, a purveyor of upscale street eats. Diners queued to chow down on dishes like cold capellini pasta tossed with spicy mentaiko and garnished with crabmeat and seaweed, and sous vide eggs sprinkled with olive dust and chive oil – “the perfect egg in the culinary world,” said Luan Ee, who debuted the truck at the Singapore National Museum in February.

But the vehicle has a double identity. For every main dish sold, it provides one to the needy, working with social service groups like Prison Fellowship Singapore to distribute the same gourmet-style food to low-income families.

Ms. Ee, a 48-year-old mother of three, left a lucrative two-decade career as a communications director last year to pursue what she calls a “higher purpose.” She said the food truck idea “dropped from up above” and drove her to take culinary classes and develop a social enterprise.

Adrian Zavala

Luan Ee is the owner of Kerbside Gourmet, Singapore’s first food truck with a cause.

“You could call it a very cliché thing, but you come to a point in your life where you just want to give back,” she said.

Food trucks are still a novelty in Singapore, where the government has traditionally been averse to roaming food vendors, moving them from the street to indoor hawker centers. But Kerbside Gourmet’s social mission — to feed foodies and disadvantaged citizens alike – earned it the support of local authorities and sponsors, such as Borneo Motors, Electrolux and Huber’s Butchery, who donated the truck, money and other resources.

Government regulations prevent Kerby from going anywhere it wants, so for now, it sticks to private catering, festivals and public events. Still, the best way to track its whereabouts is through social media, a foreign concept for Singaporeans who are used to dining out at hawker centers and high-end restaurants. “It’s a new trend. We need to slowly get people into it,” said Ms. Ee, who has counted more than 2,200 Likes on Kerbside Gourmet’s Facebook page since the food truck hit the streets in March.

Kerbside Gourmet

Spanish meatballs in spiced tomato sauce.

Where to get a side of goodwill with your gourmet meal or latte? Here, four food-minded social enterprises in Singapore.

Coffee helps people kickstart their day, but it can also rebuild lives. This specialty coffee company has two cafes and a professional coffee academy, whose proceeds assist disadvantaged women and at-risk youth through professional barista training and clinical resources. bettrbarista.com

Food for Thought

Food for Thought’s restaurants at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore National Museum and 8 Queen Street act like community centers, hosting neighborhood events and serving upscale comfort food such as mantou filled with sambal prawn and spicy dried anchovies. foodforthought.com.sg

Edible Gardens

In a city-state that imports more than 90 percent of its food, Edible Gardens helps businesses and residents grow their own by designing, building and maintaining gardens. “You can grow food anywhere,” says urban farmer Bjorn Low. “All you need is soil, a container, some seeds and water and a bit of sun.” Try their locally farmed produce at Jamie Oliver eatery Jamie’s Italian, which serves classic Italian fare like risotto and penne arrabbiata. ediblegardencity.wordpress.com